Seaweek is all about connecting our national community with opportunities to discover the many ways that our lives are connected to the sea. Seaweek's annual pinnacle is nine days of ocean-focused events in early March.
We aspire to create opportunities for everyone to connect with the sea. It's our objective to inspire and enable kiwis to take time to connect with the sea, build positive relationships with the ocean and take action to promote its health – but we cannot do this all on our own. To achieve this audacious goal we invite communities across New Zealand to plan events - so that together we can build momentum and launch into a weeklong celebration of the ocean and your community’s connection with it. We are grateful for the passionate individuals and organizations which create in-person engagement opportunities across New Zealand.
People care about things that they know and love - without opportunities to engage with and learn about the sea, there will always be people who are disconnected from it. We hope you see Seaweek as an opportunity to bring people together and celebrate something which is so important in all our lives.
Seaweek Event Planning Guide
Step 1: Design an event
Seaweek is the perfect occasion to get together with members of your community to share experiences. Events can include art, recreational activities, exploring, learning and more. To be included in the Seaweek celebration, events should always encourage the formation of positive relationships and respect for the marine environment through the event experience.
Some ideas for inspiration:
- Explore the local marine ecosystem, in the water via snorkel, or boats/paddle craft
- Walking/biking/paddling tour of your coastline and its natural features
- Visit the foreshore/intertidal on foot to explore & identify creatures (download or purchase shore guides)
- Educational lectures or talks for the public (ask your local library or cafe if they can host)
- Film/documentary screenings
- Art, writing or photography workshop
- Beach, coastal park or waterway clean-up
- Seashore monitoring (ie. marine metre squared)
- Nature-based art competition (ie. driftwood sculptures or sand & shell art)
- Litter density monitoring (ie. Litter Intelligence - contribute to a national database)
- Water quality monitoring at your local stream, river, or lake
The event options go far beyond this, we just hope these ideas spark further inspiration! Once you’ve settled on the type of event you’d like to run, it’s time to share your event idea with others!
Step 2: Get your community on board
Share your plan with local groups, organisations and businesses to see if they can support your event. Local businesses might be able to get behind you and support the event in some way. We are also here to support you in connecting with your community and other people in your region. You can get in touch with us via email; seaweek@merc.org.nz
Step 3: Finalise details and create promotional material
Eye-catching and engaging promotional material helps your event grab some attention. To support this and connect your event with others around the country, we have created a folder of logos and assets on google drive which you can use for this purpose. We can create a graphic for your event on the Seaweek site, but if you want to create your own please use these custom dimensions: 671x435 (similar to a 3:2 aspect ratio). We utilize Canva for creating graphics, try one of these event templates! It’s easy to edit our designs, click File found at the top left, then Make a copy and add your own photos, logos and text to make them fully customised - you can sign up in just a few seconds and use Canva for free.
Step 4: Spread the news
Send your event details to seaweek@merc.org.nz so we can add them to the event catalogue on Seaweek.org.nz/whats-on. We'll need the following information at the minimum:
- Event title/name
- Event date & time
- Event description & relevant links
- Organizer/contact person's email address
- Image(s) for use on the website & socials
We also recommend listing your event on Facebook and suggest you add Seaweek as a co-host to make it visible to the audience which follows our page. We would also like to note that listing it on Eventfinda or another free-to-join event platform can also increase visibility. Then you can share the links with local or interest-based Facebook groups, community hubs and businesses etc.
Thanks for your interest in celebrating Seaweek and inspiring others around you.
Questions about any of this? Just email us.
“In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand and we will understand only what we are taught.” - Baba Dioum